Saba Afgani

गुलशन कि फकत फूलों से नहीं, काटों से भी ज़ीनत होती है
जीने के लिये इस दुनिया में गम की भी ज़रूरत होती है

The beauty of the garden is not only because of the flowers but is also because of the thorns. In the same way, along with all the happiness, the presence of sorrows is very necessary to the essence of life.

ऐ वैज़-ए-नादाँ करता है तु क्या एक कयामत का चर्चा
यहाँ रोज़ निगाहें मिलती हैं, यहाँ रोज़ कयामत होती है

O Preacher (वैज़), dont talk to me about the Day of Judgement (Armageddon), Here, everyday my eyes meet hers, and everyday becomes the Day of Judgement.

वो पुरशीशे-गम को आये हैँ, कुछ कह ना सकूं, चुप रह ना सकूं
खामोश रहूं तो मुश्किल है, कह दूं तो शिकायत होती है

She has come to enquire about the reasons of my sorrows. I am neither able to say anything nor am I able to keep quite. My dilemma is that it is too painful to keep quiet about my condition but if I clear my heart out, it might foster complaints from her.

करना ही पड़ेगा ज़प्त-ए-आलम, पीने ही पड़ेंगे ये आँसू
फरयाद-ओ-फुगाँ से ऐ नादाँ, तौहीन-ए-मौहब्बत होती है

I guess, I have to bottle my emotions (ज़प्त-ए-आलम) because I know that by crying out loudly and beseeching attention (फरयाद-ओ-फुगाँ), I will only be disgracing love.

जो आके रुके दामन पे 'सबा' वो अश्क नहीं है पानी है
जो अश्क ना छलके आँखों से उस अश्क की कीमत होती है

This is my favourite from this Ghazal. It means that the tears which well out of my eyes and fall on my lap will be worth only as much as water. On the other hand, those tears which only moisten the eyes but do not fall are really prized by the world (her).

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